The 100-Year Career: Reimagine Your Professional Journey | Apeksha Gupta | TEDxDFBEDU

Summary

The speaker reflects on the traditional notion of success and retirement, questioning its relevance in an era where people may live to 100. They propose a future of work that includes multiple career phases and a shift in priorities from money to personal growth and community. The concept of a 'portfolio career' is introduced, allowing individuals to pursue various vocations simultaneously. The speaker encourages envisioning three life scenarios to gain perspective and explore what truly motivates them, advocating for a non-linear, fulfilling life path.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker started their career at 22 with a single-minded goal of achieving success, fearing that success was a finite resource that had to be attained by a certain age.
• 🏆 They became a CEO before turning 30, aligning with the societal notion of 'retiring by fortune' at a young age.
• 🌟 The reality of potentially living up to 100 years old has challenged the traditional concept of retirement and the linear career path.
• 🔄 The idea of a 'multi-phase career' is introduced, suggesting that people may have multiple careers throughout their extended lives.
• 💡 Money will remain important but won't be the primary motivator in a world where life spans are significantly longer.
• 🌱 The emphasis will shift towards community, mental and emotional well-being, and personal growth as life's motivators.
• 🎨 The speaker encourages envisioning life as a 'multiverse' with three different scenarios to consider: perfect life, life flipped by AI and automation, and a life where money and reputation are not the measure of success.
• 🛠 The concept of a 'portfolio career' is presented as a way to pursue multiple vocations, interests, and roles simultaneously.
• 🔮 The importance of prototyping and trying out different life paths, even at an older age, is highlighted to explore new passions and skills.
• 🔄 The speaker advocates for a non-linear approach to life and career, allowing for continuous learning, reflection, and change.
• 🌐 The script concludes by celebrating the unique opportunity of living in a time of unprecedented longevity and the potential for a fulfilling and varied life.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial mindset about success and retirement before their career started?

The speaker initially believed in the notion of celebrating success as a finite resource, feeling the pressure to achieve it before a specific time period, and was ready to retire by 30.

At what age did the speaker become a CEO and how did it align with their earlier beliefs about success?

The speaker became a CEO before their 30th birthday, which seemed to align with their earlier belief of achieving success by a certain age.

What realization about life expectancy prompted the speaker to reconsider their views on retirement?

The realization that people in the current generation may live up to 100 years old made the speaker reconsider the concept of retirement and the future of work.

What does the speaker suggest the future of work might look like given the potential for longer life spans?

The speaker suggests that the future of work might involve multiple career phases, with money not being the primary motivator and a focus on community, mental and emotional well-being.

What is the concept of a 'portfolio career' as introduced by the speaker?

A 'portfolio career' is the idea of having multiple vocations, careers, roles, and responsibilities that one can pursue simultaneously, leveraging all of one's interests, talents, and education.

How does the speaker propose to think about life in the context of the future of work?

The speaker proposes thinking about life as a 'Multiverse' with three scenarios: the perfect life, life if everything goes awry, and a life without the constraints of money and reputation.

What are the three scenarios the speaker suggests envisioning for one's life?

The three scenarios are: 1) Life going perfectly as desired, 2) Life being disrupted by AI, robotics, and automation, and 3) A life without the concern for money and reputation.

What does the speaker mean by 'stealing the script' from the future?

The speaker means adopting and integrating new skills, interests, or careers into one's life from emerging fields or trends, essentially 'stealing' the script of someone else's reality to diversify one's own life experiences.

How does the speaker view the role of money in one's life as they age and have a longer life span?

The speaker views money as an important motivator but not the primary one as life spans increase. They suggest that other factors such as community, mental and emotional well-being, and personal growth will become more significant.

What is the speaker's perspective on the concept of aging and how it should be approached in the future?

The speaker believes that aging should be approached as a fulfilling process, where the excess of life is not a burden but an opportunity for continuous learning, growth, and meaningful living.

How does the speaker encourage individuals to think about their career and life choices?

The speaker encourages individuals to think about their life as a designer, using design thinking principles to prototype and test different life scenarios, and to reflect and change their plans as they grow older.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 The Future of Work and Lifelong Career Shifts

The speaker reflects on their career ambitions and the traditional notion of success, which led to becoming a CEO by the age of 30. They express a shift in perspective upon realizing the potential for a 100-year lifespan, questioning the concept of retirement and the linear progression of career and life stages. The speaker introduces the idea of a multi-phase career and the importance of redefining life's purpose beyond financial success, focusing on personal growth, community, and mental well-being. They propose considering three hypothetical scenarios for one's life: the ideal life, a life disrupted by technological advancements, and a life free from the constraints of societal success metrics. The speaker encourages embracing a 'portfolio career' that allows for multiple vocations and interests to be pursued simultaneously, providing a sneak peek into the future and the potential for a fulfilling, non-linear life journey.

05:01

🎨 Embracing the Portfolio Career and Lifelong Learning

The speaker delves deeper into the concept of a 'portfolio career,' illustrating how it enables individuals to pursue various interests and roles concurrently, rather than sequentially. They use their own life as an example, highlighting their involvement in business, creative arts, mentorship, and social endeavors. The speaker emphasizes the benefits of this approach, such as not being confined to a single career path and the ability to adapt and incorporate new skills and passions into one's life at any stage. They advocate for a design thinking approach to life, encouraging experimentation and prototyping different life scenarios. The speaker also discusses the evolution of career motivations, from societal success in the first career, to meaning-making and community contribution in the second, and finally to continuous reflection and change in the later stages of life. The message concludes with an optimistic view of aging and the beauty of exploring uncharted territories in life, thanks to increased longevity.

Keywords

💡Retirement

Retirement in the context of the video refers to the traditional concept of ending one's career and ceasing to work, typically around the age of 60. The speaker challenges this notion by discussing the implications of a longer life span and suggests that the idea of retirement may need to be redefined. For instance, the speaker mentions the angst caused by the realization that if one lives to be 100, the concept of retiring at 60 might not be as appealing or feasible.

💡Success

Success in the video is initially presented as a finite resource to be achieved by a certain age, reflecting a common societal pressure. However, the speaker later reframes success to include a broader range of life experiences and personal fulfillment beyond financial wealth or career milestones. The script mentions the speaker's early achievement of becoming a CEO before 30, which was seen as a measure of success but later prompts a reevaluation of what success truly means in a longer life.

💡Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis in the video is used to describe the transformation of human work and life in the context of living to 100 years old. It suggests a radical change in the traditional life stages of education, career, and retirement. The term is used to illustrate the need for a new perspective on how we structure our lives and careers in response to increased longevity.

💡Portfolio Career

A portfolio career is a concept introduced in the video where an individual engages in multiple vocations, careers, roles, and responsibilities simultaneously. It allows for a diverse range of interests and skills to be pursued throughout one's life. The speaker uses their own life as an example, mentioning running a company, creative pursuits, mentoring, and advising, to illustrate how a portfolio career can provide a more fulfilling and dynamic life experience.

💡Linear Career

A linear career in the video is contrasted with the idea of a portfolio career. It refers to the traditional, single-path career trajectory from education to retirement. The speaker argues that with the prospect of living longer, this model may become outdated, and multiple career phases could become more common, offering a more dynamic and varied life experience.

💡Multiple Phases

The concept of multiple phases in the video refers to the idea that instead of having a single career path, individuals may go through several distinct career stages or life phases. This is tied to the possibility of living to 100 and the need to redefine work and life. The speaker suggests that this could lead to a more fulfilling life with various pursuits and interests being explored at different times.

💡Life Motivation

Life motivation in the video is discussed in terms of what drives individuals beyond financial success. The speaker suggests that as life extends beyond traditional retirement ages, motivations may shift towards community, mental and emotional well-being, and personal growth. This is exemplified by the speaker's own reflections on what truly motivates them beyond their initial career achievements.

💡Self-Limiting Beliefs

Self-limiting beliefs are mentioned in the video as internal barriers that can prevent individuals from pursuing their true desires or potential. The speaker encourages the audience to identify and eliminate these beliefs, which might include societal expectations or personal fears, in order to live a more authentic and fulfilling life. An example from the script is the speaker's own belief that they should have had their life figured out by a certain age.

💡Design Thinking

Design thinking in the video is presented as a methodology that can be applied to life planning. It involves prototyping and testing different life scenarios to explore various paths and possibilities. The speaker uses design thinking principles to encourage the audience to think of their life as a designer, experimenting with different career paths and interests to create a more dynamic and fulfilling life.

💡Meaning Making

Meaning making in the video is the process of finding significance and purpose in one's life beyond financial gain. It is tied to the second career phase mentioned by the speaker, where the focus shifts from money-making to creating meaning through community involvement, education, and personal development. The speaker suggests that this shift can lead to a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

💡Fulfilling Aging

Fulfilling aging in the video refers to the idea of growing older in a way that is not seen as a burden but as a source of fulfillment and growth. The speaker argues that with the prospect of living longer, society needs to change its perception of aging and embrace the opportunities it presents for continued learning, personal development, and contribution to society.

Highlights

Starting a career at age 22.

Goal to retire early.

Achieving CEO position before 30th birthday.

Realizing the potential to live up to 100 years.

Redefining the notion of retirement.

Considering the future of work in an extended lifespan.

Multiple phases of careers and life.

Shifting primary motivators from money to community and well-being.

Introducing the concept of a 'Multiverse' for life scenarios.

Scenario planning for perfect life, disruption by AI, and ideal dream life.

Eliminating self-limiting beliefs.

Using design thinking principles for life planning.

Concept of a portfolio career with multiple vocations.

Prototyping life experiences.

Reflecting and continuously adapting life plans.

Transcripts

[Music]

so I started my career at the age of 22

and before I didn't set foot into an

office space I was ready to retire by

foot that was there was a single-minded

goal in my head and it was this entire

barrage of the notion of celebrating

success as a Le right success seems like

a finite resource that if I didn't

achieve it before a specific time period

my time was sort of peon um and I did

make it to CEO before my 30th birthday

and I seemed like I sort of come on

track with that notion of retiring by

Fortune so all of these adult

experiences had to be shrunk into a

Sprint in real time to get to that

golden number recently however I was

confronted by the reality that most

people in our generation and most of you

guys may actually live up to the age of

100

years and in instead of joy of the idea

that gift of at least 20 to 25 years

more it puts the angst in my brain that

if more than half my life is still left

what is even the motion of retirement

right and and today I want to talk to

you about the from in the context of

metamorphosis of humanity work in the

age of lity if humankind today is going

to live till 100 years of age then what

does the future of work look like I want

to and let me paint this picture for you

right today we think of work really in

the context of Youth a career and

retirement around the age of 60 right

and then it become this neglected

generation of upward a 60 years old we

don't really have a full notion of what

a complete life may potentially look

like right but with the gift of that 20

plus years that you may get what does

that redefinition of life look like so

people have to work to there in their

70s or 80s okay we no longer will have a

linear career when you have your uh

single phased career life looks like

multiple phases right multiple careers

what does that look like money will be

an important motivator but when your

life is that long it no longer is your

primary motivator right and then you

will think of things like community

mental and emotional wellbe growth how

does my mind expand right so so this is

the context now let's cut to the idea of

uh what is it that this future can

potentially look like right and I want

to I I want to think of your life in the

form of an activity like a Multiverse so

and most of you are very very young so

this is the perfect time to think of for

this way think of three scenarios

scenario number one in this Multiverse

is if everything in your life go

perfectly the way you desired it most of

your MBA students so you have Notions of

being consultants and bankers and

whatever else success in this context

looks like so this this the perfect

scenario of this that's scenario number

one scenario number two is if artificial

intelligence and Robotics and automation

flips your life over and your plan a is

now obsolete what is it what talents

would you have and what potentially side

hustles you may think of that can keep

you going that's scenario number two now

let's of scenario number three and

that's my favorite which is a white card

plan that if money and reputation was

not a notion of success and you know

people would say that you've graduated

from the University of Delhi with an NBA

is this what you want to do that was no

longer a concern and you have money and

you're comfortable not be fabulously

wealthy but you're comfortable then what

is that dream like right and I always

love to think of it in the context of

three lives because it gives you

perspective and it gives you ideas on

what can the life potentially look like

um you also have to realize that the

future is sort of already here it's only

in you know distributed uh differently

so somebody's already leading one of

your three lives that is already

happening right and the last this so

these are two parts and the last part

you need to think of is if time is no

longer the motion and I'm no longer

under the pressure of a 30 or 40 or 50 m

Stone then what self-limiting beliefs am

I eliminating my self-limiting beliefs

are different example when I was in my

20s it was I should have had my life

figured out already and I'm already

doing this Masters is this what I really

want to do or I'm already on this on

this track is this what I really want to

do with my life if you throw that out of

the below then what is it that truly

motivates you and what are your values

and ideas I'm going recap this okay so

you're doing a scoping of your life you

have three scenarios right your perfect

life altern your life if everything was

flipped over and your wild life right

and then you realize if I throw

everything that is limiting me today

away and I know now what exactly

motivates me and takes me forward so

this gives you sort of like a game plan

I use this from design thinking

principles which are typically used for

projects right but if you want to think

of your life like a designer what does

that life look like is what we going to

talk about so we have entire now we have

this now I'm going throw a tool kit at

you and I will throw the idea of a

portfolio career as the first first

premise of the student right what is the

portfolio career look like all of your

life's interests all of your talents and

all of your education can give you an

opportunity to have multiple vocations

uh careers roles and responsibilities

that you can run simultaneously and

let's see how that can potentially look

like so in my case I can use myself as

an example I run an iy company but I

also have creative Pursuits that can

come from a form of art I also have some

social Pursuits that I like to Mentor

other women uh and I like to actively

participate in Sharing what I know about

my life and how I want to take you know

what what should my legacy be from a

knowledge point of view I may have some

um investment projects on the side I

have some advising projects on the side

and then I might just want to change my

life and I want to be an artist Right In

traditional life I would be like okay

till 40 I do X and then I retire and

then I go travel and live that life that

I've always wanted if I throw that

script out and I live all of these

multiple lives at the same time that's

what a portfolio career sort of affords

you right um what do I like about the

portfolio career is that you don't need

to think of life as five full-time jobs

right you can think of it as a full-time

job in one context a gig worker in one

context an adviser in one context just a

friend in one context I like to think of

this as a way to cheat your way into the

future right you're already getting a

sneak into the future you're already

seeing what are the AR intelligence that

is already doing can I steal that script

and occupy a little bit in my life

tomorrow I want to get into I don't know

fashion or gaming can I steal that

script I'm not good enough yet I still I

have certain skills that I'm very very

good at today but I want to do that when

I'm 50 or 60 or 70 what does that script

look like and I think this this is like

a fabulous way to get a sneak into that

picture live someone else's reality um

so so you have your portfolio CER your

emotions your entire skill set that you

already

and I also always recommend like and

design thinking you would prototype that

life you will try do I go back to school

at 50 and design school and learn to

become an artist what this right when I

go to school will young people genely

laugh at me because I'm in school or

will they let me happily be a part of

that ecosystem and learn and change the

script of My Life um and I'm and I'm

doing this while I'm still contining to

do my day jobs be responsible you know

family person responsible part of

society but I'm letting the inner child

in my heart continue to drive certain

things right um and when when you look

at life this way then your career really

to to my mind is three different careers

in your first career the thinking of

things that Society consider successful

so it's yes sure you have money um you

want to be in the right circles you want

to have influence you want to have

reputation right when it's a second

career I can stop thinking of money

making and start thinking of meaning

making about the notion of community

about giving back about education I want

to be smarter

faster um and I want to keep living a

fulfilling and meaningful life so so

then money stops being a primary

motivation and then I start thinking

about everything else that matters to me

in life and I can learn to give back um

and and the last absolutely last part is

to reflect I can keep reflecting and I

can keep changing back my plans because

there is today like I there is no

deadline there is no type a wrong way

it's no longer a linear path it's a

zigzag today I'm a master of uncraft but

I can choose to be an absolute novice in

something else and and that script can

flip and that's such and and I and I

like to believe that that's how

fulfilling aging growing older the

excess of life will stop feeling like a

burden and a source of angs and it will

be a fulfilling way of what the future

of humanity looks like and we are

blessed because this is and this

phenomenon is only a 50 Ro so we're

really seeing people Venture into these

Uncharted territories for the first time

they're potentially the second

generation that's seen longevity of that

nature and it's truly a thing of beauty

thank you so

[Applause]

much